The present invention relates to the medical arts, and in particular, sets forth a method and apparatus for the measurement of numerous blood parameters relating to hemostasis.
Hemostasis is that process which arrests the flow of blood from damaged blood vessels. The ability to stop bleeding is fundamentally important not only in the obvious cases of trauma and surgery but is also essential on a day to day basis for arresting bleeding from hundreds of microvascular injuries that occur from normal activity. The manifestations of prolonged uncontrolled bleeding include impaired oxygen carrying capacity, which may fall below life sustaining levels, and formation of blood accumulations called "Hematomas" which can cause mass necrosis in their immediate vicinity. For these and other reasons, the measurement of the various parameters of hemostasis are extremely important laboratory tests which allow patients with abnormal bleeding to be identified thereby indicating preventive measures to be undertaken.
In order to understand the various measurements made by the present invention, the processes that define hemostasis must be examined. The mechanisms employed by the body to alleviate blood flow from injured blood vessels involves the interrelations of three separate functions: the vascular system, platelet function, and the process of blood coagulation. The ultimate goal of these mechanisms is to stem blood loss over the immediate, intermediate and long term periods, respectively, and cumulatively define hemostasis.